ITV

Category: Viewership

  • Nickelodeon to unleash immersive experience at Comic Con International San Diego

    Nickelodeon to unleash immersive experience at Comic Con International San Diego

    Mumbai: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon will invite fans to dive into an immersive experience at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2022 from 22-24 July 2022. It will showcase the depths of Bikini Bottom, imaginations of babies, a new generation of Transformers robots, the hallways of Monster High, the elements of Avatar and more. 

    Headquartered at its 1,800 square-foot booth on the convention center floor, Nickelodeon will celebrate fan-favorite characters and shows with panels, talent signings, activations, exclusive products and interactive design elements featuring: SpongeBob Universe (SpongeBob SquarePants and its two original spinoff series, The Patrick Star Show and the Paramount+ Original series, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years), the Paramount+ Original series Rugrats and Transformers: EarthSpark, plus Monster High: The Movie, Avatar: The Last Airbender and more.

    Every day of the convention, Nickelodeon’s booth will feature: a 16-foot-tall Bumblebee of Transformers: EarthSpark photo opportunity and AR experience; an immersive “Monster High: The Movie” activation, where fans can compete against the clock to match objects to lockers; an eight-foot-long underwater television from The Patrick Star Show that fans can step inside; a Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years photo opportunity; a Rugrats photo opportunity; an Avatar: The Last Airbender-themed retail area featuring a custom t-shirt station and exclusive collectibles; costumed-character appearances; and autograph signings with the voice casts and producers from SpongeBob Universe, Rugrats, Transformers: EarthSpark and Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast.

    Nickelodeon will present four panels: Nickelodeon’s Rugrats: The Babies are Back!, an exclusive look at the all-new series; SpongeBob SquarePants: Dive into SpongeBob Universe!, a deep dive into the iconic franchise; Introducing Transformers: EarthSpark!, an insider event that celebrates a new take on the global franchise; and Avatar: Braving the Elements – LIVE!. This will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the James Cameron directed movie was brought to life.

  • Zee Media’s Manoj Jagyasi joins Bharat 24 as chief business officer

    Zee Media’s Manoj Jagyasi joins Bharat 24 as chief business officer

    Mumbai: Manoj Jagyasi has joined the leadership team of to-be-launched Hindi news channel Bharat 24 as chief business officer and strategic advisor to the board, as per a LinkedIn update. He was previously associated with Zee Media Corporation where he served as chief revenue officer.

    Helmed by Jagdish Chandra previously associated with ETV Network and Zee Media, Bharat 24 channel is expected to launch in August 2022, as per media reports.

    At Zee Media, one of the largest news broadcast networks in the country, Jagyasi was responsible for managing the top line and aligning the bottom line of 14 news channels and servicing the top network clients.

    He has immense experience in sales and management having worked across locations in India. His expertise lies in business strategy and execution, working with cross-functional and multi-location teams, digging out consumer insights, content creation, and developing marketing and communication strategy.

    Jagyasi has over 19 years of experience in the media industry. He has been associated with India Today, Hindustan Unilever, Network18 Media and Investments, iTV Network, TV18 Broadcast before joining Zee Media in February 2017.

  • Zindagi to premiere Nikkhil Advani’s short film ‘Guddu Engiineer’

    Zindagi to premiere Nikkhil Advani’s short film ‘Guddu Engiineer’

    Mumbai:  “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it” – based on this simple yet impactful poem by Rumi, Zindagi announces the Indian television premiere of its romantic short film, “Guddu Engiineer.” 

    Setting the perfect vibe for a Sunday binge fest, “Guddu Engiineer” is a story that will nudge your hearts and leave you ecstatic and wanting more. 

    Produced by Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani (Emmay Entertainment) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises chief creative officer – special projects Shailja Kejriwal and directed by the versatile Nikkhil Advani, featuring talented actors Prabuddh Dyma (Guddu) and Pranali Ghogare (Sonia) in the lead, the film is set to premiere on Zindagi’s DTH platforms Tata Play, Dish TV and D2H on 10 July at 8 pm.

    “Guddu Engiineer” traces the story of three friends living at a hostel in Varanasi. Guddu, the primary character, who can’t speak, falls in love with Sonia. To celebrate her birthday, he makes a list of her favorite things and makes an attempt to fulfill all her wishes. However, a certain turn of events causes him to make a choice between love and hate, which in turn alters everything around him. 

    Talking about his film, director Nikkhil Advani said, “I believe films and stories inspire people and bring to them a different perspective of things each time. Great stories help connect to a larger audience and rise above all kinds of barriers.  A film like “Guddu Engiineer” is like a warm hug and speaks volumes about love in its own little way. I am looking forward to the television premiere of the film and I am sure audiences will enjoy this one!”

    Actor Prabuddh Dyma added, “”Guddu Engiineer” is a film that is supremely close to my heart. Getting an opportunity to work with Nikhil sir and to be directed by him was supremely special.  Playing Guddu, a person that can’t speak was challenging yet rewarding. The film is brought to life by the characters that surround him, they are relatable and their performers are exceptional. The film, just like Guddu, is all heart and I am looking forward to the premiere of this film on Zindagi’s DTH platforms.”

    Recently launched on DTH platforms Tata Play, Dish TV & D2H, Zindagi has been instrumental in bringing content from across borders and has emerged as the audience preferred destination. “Guddu Engiineer,” aims to instill the spirit of love, hope and friendship in the hearts of the Zindagi audiences yet again!

  • Colors Tamil made world television premiere of ‘Inba Twinkle Lilly’

    Colors Tamil made world television premiere of ‘Inba Twinkle Lilly’

    Mumbai: Colors Tamil has made the world television premiere of ‘Inba Twinkle Lilly’ on 10 July at 2:00 p.m. 

    Embarking on an entertaining journey, the film starring Saranya Ponvannan, Kovai Sarala and Kalpana in the lead roles, revolved around a chaos that ensues at bank robbery. Written and directed by R. K. Vidhyadaran, the 2018 film also featured Manobala, Mansoor Ali Khan, Devadarshini, and Imman Annachi as the stellar ensemble cast.

    The narrative followed the lives of Inba (Saranya), Twinkle (Kovai Sarala) and Lilly (Kalpana) who was the best of friends. In a turn of events, Inba’s granddaughter Ashmitha (Ashmitha) was diagnosed with a serious illness and the trio raise money for her treatment. But unfortunately owing to a terrorist attack at a bank led by Kalluthu (Mansoor Ali Khan) and his gang, they ended up losing all their money, and the bank manager (Chithra Lakshmanan) also declined to assist them. Helpless, they decided to take things into their own hands and rob the bank themselves to retrieve their hard-earned money. What hilarity ensues during the robbery and they managed to save Ashmitha’s life follows the rest of the plot.

    Before the telecasted on world television, director R. K. Vidhyadaran said in a statement, “It was an initial concept to showcase powerful female centric roles to the Tamil diaspora and all the three actresses are a powerhouse of talent where they are capable of showcasing any emotion be it rage, sadness, comedy among many others. They are the pillars that bring the whole film together and it was a wonderful experience directing them.”

    Adding to this, Saranya also said, “It is truly a unique film that is close to my heart. It is often rare to witness women take the wheel and the entire credit goes to the director for writing a concept that is simple but evokes laughter along with a roller coaster of emotions. Moreover it was truly a learning experience to work alongside veteran actors like Kovai Sarala and Kalpana especially when it comes to the comic timing of the film. I am definitive that the viewers of Colors Tamil will appreciate our efforts and have a fun-filled weekend.”

  • iTV Network to showcase brand new multimedia show dedicated to women

    iTV Network to showcase brand new multimedia show dedicated to women

    Mumbai: The iTV Network has announced the launch of a brand new multimedia vertical dedicated to women, for women, and by women We Women Want. Through various social media platforms (online & offline), We Women Want aims to recognise the efforts of exemplary women, highlight female leaders of India, and have cross-generational conversations on issues that affect them.

    The show is set for launch on 9 July 2022. The first episode features renowned fashion designers Rina Dhaka and Anjul Bhandari in conversation with iTV Network senior executive editor Priya Sahgal.

    Sharing insight on the show, Priya Sahgal says “We Women Want is a show for women and by women where you will be a part of some intense conversations as our panellists talk about issues that every woman faces at some point or the other. We will talk about not just the success stories but also the everyday struggles that try to defy us but end up defining us.”

    In the first episode, fashion designer Rina Dhaka shares glimpses of her personal & professional life, and how she fought cancer as a working mother. Rina said, “Cancer as a disease isn’t a hassle, but the treatment is the biggest shock. Mentally it’s a lot of work because you’re really in the fear of death.” Part of the fashion industry since the 80s, Rina Dhaka gets candid about her struggle to make a mark internationally and the guilt, regrets and successes of a career woman.

    Anjul Bhandari may be the new kid on the block, but she has carved an enviable niche. She dropped out of school in class 10 to get married and went on to dress the biggest stars of Bollywood & starry-eyed brides. Drawing from her life experience, Anjul said, “we must remember that women are ‘Agni Stree.’ Each woman by default knows how to balance everything at once.”

    We Women Want will be a dedicated multi-media service for the modern Indian woman, including guidance & P2P learning, career counselling for young women, forum to address FAQs on higher education, careers, finance planning, preliminary legal advice, health, and marriage.

    The show will air every Saturday at 7:30 p.m on NewsX & 3:30 p.m on India News. The program will also be streamed live on various OTT platforms including Dailyhunt, Zee5, MX Player, ShemarooMe, Watcho, Mzaalo, Jio TV, Tata Play and PayTm livestreams.

  • Ishara launches celebrity chat show aimed at Hindi heartland

    Ishara launches celebrity chat show aimed at Hindi heartland

    Mumbai: IN10 Media Network’s general entertainment channel Ishara has announced the launch of its celebrity-chat show called Bhabhi Ke Pyaare… Pritam Hamare. The show will begin airing on 11 July every Monday to Friday at 9 pm.

    The chat show will see the host, radio jockey Pritam Singh, have light-hearted banter with television’s popular female celebrities like Shweta Tiwari, Sara Khan, Barkha Sengupta, and Jasmin Bhasin among many others.

    The daily primetime show is designed for India’s heartland audience and will see reel and real-life gossip, games, and entertainment segments. A guest – from friends and family to co-workers and staff – will be invited on the show to spill the beans. The first season with 30 episodes will see the actresses reveal their personalities, closest relationships, struggles and adventures, victories and setbacks, hopes and aspirations, and fears and inhibitions that make them human and relatable to the audience.

    IN10 Media Network managing director Aditya Pittie said, “With the launch of Bhabhi Ke Pyaare… Pritam Hamare, the channel is entering the chat show genre and expanding its comedy brand that will amplify the channel’s entertainment quotient in the GEC space.”

    And added, “We want to cater to the heartland audience with the new show keeping their sensibilities in mind. We can promise the viewers that the show will be full of entertainment and give them a glimpse into these celebrities’ lives.”

    The show is produced by Gold Coast Films.

  • Sony YAY! enters in Malaysian market, and expands its presence in South Asian region

    Sony YAY! enters in Malaysian market, and expands its presence in South Asian region

    Mumbai: India’s leading kid’s entertainment channel Sony YAY! launches on Telekom Malaysia Berhad (unifi TV). With a lineup of fan-favorite shows, the channel debuted in the Malaysian market on 1 July 2022 to expand its presence further across the South Asian region.

    Sony YAY! launched in Tamil with a total of seven popular kid’s entertainment shows including Sab Jholmaal Hai (Honey Bunny), Guru Aur Bhole, Taarak Mehta Ka Chhota Chashma, Kicko & Super Speedo, Paap-O-Meter, Prince Jai aur Dumdaar Viru and HaGoLa.

    Sony YAY! is expected to tap into the prominent Tamil-speaking population of the region which comprises a total of 1.8 million people – the third highest in the world, after India and Sri Lanka. Considering the significant size of the Tamil-speaking audience in this region, the launch is a perfect opportunity for the channel to extend its content offerings to an expanded audience base across the South Asian market. 

    With notable titles and the top two shows such as Sab Jholmaal Hai (Honey Bunny) and Paap-O-Meter, Sony YAY! will cater to the Tamil speaking audience of Malaysia along with the Indian diaspora of the region which accounts for close to 6.8 percent of its population. The launch of the channel in Tamil on one of the largest platforms Telekom Malaysia Berhad (unifi TV) is further set to aid the channel in terms of reach and access. Sony YAY! will be accessible to the subscribers of unifi TV under the Varnam Plus Pack and the Ultimate Pack.

    With a growing audience base of around 43 million, Sony YAY! has grown exponentially since its inception in 2017 and the expansion into newer markets in South Asia strengthens the channel’s commitment to providing world-class entertainment to young audiences across the globe. This foray into Malaysia further accelerates the consistent drive to transform the global entertainment sector for Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN). 

    Speaking on this, Sony YAY! EVP and business head Leena Lele Dutta said, “Over the span of five years since we launched Sony YAY! the channel has rapidly risen to become the #1 kid’s entertainment channel in India. The current Indian channel portfolio in Malaysia has a huge potential and with the launch of Sony YAY! In Malaysia, we will be leveraging this opportunity and extending our diverse range of enthralling kid’s entertainment options to an extremely new and vibrant set of audiences. The launch has made us optimistic about newer opportunities that we can explore to reach young audiences across geographies.”

    Sony Pictures Networks EVP and head of international business Neeraj Arora commented, “As one of the fastest-growing kid’s entertainment channels in the Indian subcontinent, Sony YAY! has consistently made efforts to become the ultimate entertainment solution in the kid’s genre. The channel has curated and brought a bouquet of international shows and IPs to Indian audiences. This partnership with Telekom Malaysia Berhad will help us cater to the appetite of the rapidly growing audience across the Malaysian market and solidify our position in the global kid’s entertainment segment by bringing popular Indian shows to global audiences.”

  • Barc Week 26: India TV maintains steady viewership, records 13.2 percent relative share in HSM market

    Barc Week 26: India TV maintains steady viewership, records 13.2 percent relative share in HSM market

    Mumbai: India TV continued to be the leading news channel in the Hindi-speaking market (HSM) during Week 26 i.e., 25 June to 1 July for the time band 0600-2400 hrs, as per Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) India data for 15+ audience. India TV shared the data with Indiantelevision.com.

    India TV had a relative share of 13.2 per cent slipping from 13.5 per cent in the previous weeks. It was followed closely by Aaj Tak which had 13.1 per cent share. Notably, this is the fourth consecutive week that India TV is leading the HSM market in terms of share of AMAs (000).

    News18 India and Republic Bharat had 11.9 per cent and 11.7 per cent shares, respectively. They were followed by TV9 Bharatvarsh and Zee News with 9.9 per cent and 9.2 per cent shares, respectively. 

    Aaj Tak and Republic Bharat’s share in the HSM market has been steadily increasing since Week 23 while News18 India and TV9 Bharatvarsh’s share has been declining.

    Times Now Navbharat and ABP News’ relative shares stood at 7.3 per cent and 6.6 per cent. ABP News’ relative share has been steadily increasing over the last few weeks from 6.0 per cent in Week 23 to 6.6 per cent in Week 26.

    News Nation and Good News Today had a relative share of 5.8 per cent and 5.3 per cent, respectively.

    The Hindi news genre grew by three per cent in Week 26 over Week 25 in terms of overall average minute audience AMA (000), as per Barc data. The AMAs increased from 2182 (000) AMAs in Week 25 to 2247 (000) AMA in Week 26.

    Average minute audience is defined as the number of individuals of a target audience who viewed a televised “event”, averaged across minutes.

    India TV saw a further increase in its relative share during the crucial morning and evening prime time bands during which news content is primarily consumed i.e., at 0700 – 1000 hrs and 2000 to 2300 hrs.

    In the morning prime time band, India TV had a big lead with 29.5 per cent relative share followed by Aaj Tak which had 21.6 per cent relative share. In the evening prime time, India had 24.8 per cent relative share followed by Aaj Tak with 20.0 per cent share and News18 India with 19.5 per cent share.

    Platform level data by Airtel shows that India TV leads in terms of relative share on Airtel Xstream in HSM market during Week 26.

    India TV had 25.3 per cent relative share on Airtel Xstream followed by Aaj Tak at 24.5 per cent, R Bharat at 18.6 per cent, Zee News at 16.8 per cent and ABP News at 14.8 per cent.

    Regarding Facebook Live views, India TV garnered 59.71 million views from 25 June to 1 July. Aaj Tak garnered 44.67 million views, ABP News FB Live views stood at 44.23 million, News18 India at 20.79 million and Zee News at 19.32 million.

  • Kallie Purie launches new digital venture ‘India Today North-East’ to showcase the area in a better way

    Kallie Purie launches new digital venture ‘India Today North-East’ to showcase the area in a better way

    MUMBAI: India Today Group vice-chairperson Kallie Purie has launched the Group’s special digital venture ‘India Today North-East’ at the fifth edition of the India Today Conclave East.

    Speaking at the Conclave, Purie said, “This is our India Today conclave fifth edition. It has been a fantastic orientation to the region. Thank you. I mean it’s basically because of the audience and the people that we have here.”

    “And it made us realise this area is just so rich and so diverse, it’s almost impossible for us to showcase all its talents and its issues in just two days. These eight states are known as the North East and if I may, I borrow it from our prime minister’s Akshaya Lakshmi, I think deserves more of a spotlight. So, with that in mind, today I am very proud to launch our latest and newest venture, focused on the North-East, called ‘India Today North-East’,” Kallie Purie said.

    Purie also stated that the new venture will be based out of the North-East and with its launch, India Today Group hopes that it will be better equipped to showcase the area and its USPs.

    “We will be looking at this region with this new venture, it will be based out of the North-East. And I hope that it will be able to showcase the area better, as well as, I think, to a certain extent, correct some of the misnomers that exist out of the region and its very beautiful people,” she said.

  • Rise in inflation likely to hurt advertising revenue growth of TV broadcasters, says market analyst

    Rise in inflation likely to hurt advertising revenue growth of TV broadcasters, says market analyst

    Mumbai: The rising inflation is playing a spoilsport for the television segment currently, impacting its revenue as advertisers are cutting down the marketing spends. The impact of soaring inflation is observed in one of the most significant categories of the TV industry-FMCG sector. The new age internet companies are also reducing their ad spend. Currently, the advertisers are feeling apprehensive due to the macro weakness and inflationary headwinds.

    Inflation heat to hurt profitability

    As per financial analysts at Elara Securities, television was the first traditional medium to recover to pre-COVID levels in the financial year 2022. The company estimated the operating profitability of all broadcasters to be muted due to content investments and lower advertising revenue.

    Earlier, experts stated that the advertising revenue for television broadcasters is recovering and will reach the pre-covid levels. They predicted that the TV ad revenue will grow 12 per cent in the next financial year. However, the rising inflation has created bottlenecks as companies curtailed their advertising campaigns and adopted a wait-and-watch approach. The FMCG companies also have reported a slowdown in consumer spending. Moreover, the rising input costs also have forced price hikes, which is impacting the overall consumer sentiments and behaviour.

    According to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), retail inflation touched 7.04 per cent in May 2022. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has updated its inflation projection for the current fiscal (FY23) to 6.7 per cent. 

    According to EY-FICCI’s media & entertainment 2022 report, the television revenue is expected to reach Rs 826 billion by 2024 and will grow at a CARG of 4-5 per cent. In such a case, if the advertisers squeeze their ad spends, it will be difficult for the TV industry to recover and reach the target as estimated, the experts believe. 

    In 2021, television advertising revenue grew 25 per cent to reach Rs 313 billion, recovering from a 21.5 per cent drop in 2020. Due to Covid pandemic pressure, TV advertising revenue declined. Moreover, the ad revenue stood at Rs 320 billion in 2019 during the pre-Covid times. 

    Industry’s observations despite challenges

    Elara Securities also estimated that overall revenue of the major players like Zee, Sun TV and TV Today is slated to grow by 4.7 per cent, 23.2 per cent and 23 per cent year-on-year (YoY), respectively. Zee’s revenue growth is negatively impacted by lower operating income (“Dhaakad film”), while its net profit is expected to witness a growth of 26.4 per cent driven by the redemption of preferential shares (paid off in Q4 FY22).

    Zee’s overall revenue was up by 14.1 per cent YoY in FY22 at Rs 8189.3 crore. Its profit after tax (PAT) was up by 32 per cent at Rs 955.7 crore. Sun TV’s standalone revenues were up by 12.46 per cent YoY in FY22 at Rs 3504.88 crore. TV Today’s overall revenue was up by 18.76 per cent in FY22 at Rs 973.99 crore.

    The company also estimates that advertising revenue for Zee, Sun TV and TV Today will grow 12.7 per cent, 36 per cent and 28 per cent YoY, respectively, on a low base, as they remain between two per cent to ten per cent lower than pre-Covid levels. Subscription revenues for Zee and Sun TV are expected to remain flat YoY.

    Zee’s advertising revenue in FY22 stood at Rs 4396.5 crore up by 18 per cent YoY. Its subscription revenue stood at Rs 3246.6 crore. Sun TV’s advertising revenues in FY22 stood at Rs 1300.60 crore up by 30.84 per cent and subscription revenues stood at Rs 1657.13 crore. TV Today’s revenue from television and other media operations stood at Rs 912.03 crore, up by 17.8 per cent in FY22.